New Identity
by Momo Tobiume
Summary: In a world where females are not allowed to be Soul Reapers, Hinamori Momo wants to become one more than anything. She disguises herself as a boy and enrolls into a school. Can she keep her real gender a secret? HitsuxHin
1. Beginnings

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach

**This is an AU, although Soul Reapers are included. **

**---**

The young girl grasped the kitchen knife tightly. Her pale hand shook a little as she gathered up her hair into a ponytail, and brought the knife to the ends.

"I have to do this," she whispered. "I have to."

With a slight whimper, she squeezed her eyes shut and brought the knife swiftly across her hair with a _thwack_. The blade severed her hair, and the dark locks drifted to the floor in silent grace.

Hesitantly, she felt her newly cut hair with some sort of grim satisfaction, and proceeded to cut it shorter until it reached her ears.

She let out a breath of relief when she finished, and tucked her fallen hair safely under her wardrobe.

And before she could change her mind, she looked at the mirror.

She could barely stifle a gasp, marveling how the length of hair could so quickly change how you looked. Now she looked…well, like a boy. Which was exactly what she wanted.

By candlelight, she quietly got dressed into the loose boy clothing she had stole from a servant, careful that it covered her bound chest.

Then, she looked into the mirror again. This time, she looked more like a boy than ever, and she chuckled softly.

If only they could see her now. Hinamori Momo, daughter of the famous and wealthy Captain Momo dressed in a servant's attire, and about to take the greatest risk of her life.

Gritting her teeth, she met her reflection's eyes levelly.

"I want to be educated. I want to learn how to fight. I want to be a Soul Reaper," she recited her dream to the mirror. "One day, I want to become Captain…and only then will I come home."

To her horror, she realized that tears had filled her eyes, and quickly blinked them away.

Swallowing hard, she slung the bag she had packed the night before over her shoulder, and silently slipped out of her home and into the night.

It was only a few days walk to the school, and she had enough food and clothing in there to last that long. Along with the kitchen knife…just in case.

She tried her best not to think about her family's reaction to this, and she desperately hoped that they would not worry too much about her.

And she hoped that they would accept her once she became a Soul Reaper.

If she ever survived this Boarding School first.

---

The school building took Hinamori's breath away. It wasn't as grand as her father's mansion, but the structure had a sort of handsome, dignified air to it, and she knew at once she would be content here.

A mass of boys already dressed in the school uniform passed her, pointing and snickering at her apparel.

She blushed slightly, and wondered where she should go, since she had already enrolled herself a moon before, of course, with a fake name and address.

What was she supposed to do? According to the acceptance letter she got back, this was the exact date that new students arrived, and the old students came back for another summer.

So…now what?

"Are you new here?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin and whirled around to see a rather short boy behind her.

He had a nice, serious face, with spiky white hair and striking blue-green eyes. Although she would normally think that white hair on someone so young would be strange…she thought the color suited this boy.

"Yeah. I'm Hin...Momo." she said uncertainly in her lowest voice.

"You're supposed to go to the registration desk and receive your uniform and schedule," the boy said coldly, not offering his own name back.

"Okay, thanks." Hinamori was a little taken aback by his icy tone, but politely bowed her thanks.

"A word of advice," he said frostily. "Don't bow. It's girly."

The boy stalked away, leaving a confused and annoyed Hinamori behind.

"How rude," she muttered before going off to find the so-called registration desk, which she found rather quickly.

After she dressed herself into the uniform, she decided to deposit her things into her new room before classes started the next day.

"Room 607," she read from the little white slip of paper.

When she found the correct door, she flung it open with enthusiasm, eager to see her room. But what she did not count on was to see someone already in there.

"You!" she gasped.

Her day pretty much went downhill from there.


	2. Off to a Bad Start

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach

* * *

It took Hinamori a split second to realize that her voice had turned high-pitched and shrill from shock, and she mentally slapped herself for being so careless. But she had not really expected to find anyone already in her room...especially not _him. _

"What are you doing here?" She asked, lowering her voice.

The unpleasant boy from earlier shot her a look that clearly said that he thought she were an idiot.

"This is my room."

"But it's mine too!" She could not keep the defensive edge from her voice as he rolled his eyes and promptly turned his back on her.

"I guess we're roommates then."

Those simple words seemed to spell out her very doom. Why, out of all the guys that went to this school, did she have to be roommates with the rudest one she had ever met so far? Why him? Why? Why?

Hinamori didn't realize that her expression had gone though a lot of interesting facial changes. First, her eyes had gone huge until they were nearly bulging out of their sockets, then dismay fell upon her features and her lips pursed, then she looked angry, and then a little sheepish. It was rather amusing to watch.

She stood there and watched him finish deposit his clothing into a wardrobe and plop himself on one of the three beds, all the while chewing away at her bottom lip. She supposed that she should probably unpack now, but she drew back and tried at a hesitant smile.

"So," she said in an attempt to be friendly. "You never told me your name."

"Why does my name matter to you?" he asked sharply.

Hinamori blinked, a little taken aback by his unfriendliness. "Um, sorry."

There was no response from her roommate and she sighed in exasperation. If he was going to get all surly just because she asked for his name, then she would probably never get along with him.

The clicking sound of a key in a lock made her whirl around...only to have the door open and crash mercilessly hard into her nose. She gasped a little as she was thrown back by the force of it and slammed into the wall with the door squishing her into it.

"Oh."

Blinking tears from her eyes, she made out the faint outline of almost comically bright orange hair wavering in her vision. Hinamori staggered back, clutching her nose as she was released from the door's hold.

"Oh," the newcomer repeated.

In the haze of stars spinning around her head, she was suddenly seized by a prickle of irritation and anger.

"That's it?" she snapped ferociously at him, partly because the pain was making her short-tempered. "You nearly kill me, and that's all you've got to say? Oh? _Oh_? _Oh_? How about an, 'I'm sorry' or something? After all it was your fault! Man, you people are so rude! So inconsiderate! So-"

"Okay, okay! Sorry!" the boy interrupted her rant." You're right. Anyone can expect to find someone hanging around a door. It's all my fault. Of course."

Hinamori rubbed her nose and scowled at his implied meaning, but thankfully said nothing more. Now she was starting to feel slightly sheepish about yelling at him. She hoped she didn't sound too feminine.

"I'm your new roommate I guess," she offered in a lopsided apology.

The new boy wasn't looking very pleased by this particular information, but nevertheless he held out a hand for her to shake politely.

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo."

Out of habit, she bowed, and murmured, "I am called Hin. I am very pleased to meet you. Please forgive my rudeness."

Ichigo looked slightly surprised at her formal way of speaking, and again Hinamori kicked herself for not being more careful.

"I-I mean, I am pleased. No! I o-only...uh..."

"Whatever," he said breezily, but raising an eyebrow as he passed her. She blushed and ducked her head in embarrassment.

"Who're you?" asked Ichigo rather rudely when he noticed the other boy. "Are you another one of my roommates?"

The boy sighed heavily and sat up on his bed. "Yes...unfortunately" he added dryly under his breath.

Luckily, Ichigo seemed to have not heard him, and he claimed the last bed by dumping his belongings on the sheets. With a lazy air, he then curled up on the space left and closed his eyes.

It was then Hinamori realized that Ichigo had a sword strapped to his back. It was the largest one she had ever seen, the size of his very body most likely, and she wondered how she had missed it before. The blade was long and looked heavy, although Ichigo seemed to be able to move around without a problem.

She stared at it fascinated, and as if he could feel her gaze he opened one eye to peer up at her.

"Is that your Zanpakuto?"

"No shit."

Hinamori blushed again, something that she seemed to be doing a lot these days. How stupid of her though. It was blaringly obvious.

"S-sorry, It's just that I-"

"Don't have one?"

Both Ichigo and Hinamori blinked in surprise as their other roommate who had been silent all this time, spoke up.

His blue-green eyes seemed to burn with ice as they trained themselves upon her face. She flinched. "No."

The boys exchanged a glance that Hinamori did not like, and she asked hesitantly, "Should I have one?"

"If you're really worthy of the title, 'shinigami' then yes."

She had never hated anyone more than at that moment. He sneered at her like she was a worthless piece of trash. Hinamori fought down the urge to lunge at him and wipe that ugly expression off his face, all the while having the satisfaction in telling him that her father was a Captain and among the best of the best. But she knew deep down that it wouldn't be wise, so she forced herself to be calm.

"So what if I don't have one? I'll get one." Hinamori tried and failed to sound confident, and for the first time felt doubt creeping up her heart.

All this time she had been sure that what she was doing was right, but now...she just didn't know. Did she give up everything for nothing? Did she come so far only to have failed?

"How do you get them?" she directed her question at Ichigo, who was undeniably kinder. "Can you buy?"

Both boys snorted, and Hinamori knew that once again she had asked a stupid question.

"Don't you know anything?"

She glared at white-haired boy, and clutched her fist angrily. "No! I guess I don't!" she spat back at him.

"Zanpakuto are living beings...you can't just walk into a store and buy them." he said. "They are created with the shinigami."

"But we're not shinigami yet!" Hinamori said, now feeling bluntly confused. "That's what we're in school for aren't we?"

"You're right...we're not. But a selected few already have theirs. The ones with real _talent_ receive them earlier."

If she was not so curious, she would have been angered by this jibe. But she waved it away and asked, "So someone gives it to you?"

"No, when you're a shinigami it's just there."

Hinamori lay in her own bed, doing her best to absorb all this new information. When she was sure that Ichigo and the boy had fallen asleep, she rolled to her pillow and cried.

* * *

**Note: **I have no clue how you get a zanpakuto, but this is a fanfiction, so I guess it doesn't matter if I'm wrong...

This chapter does seem boring, but it was a good way to get the introduction finished and Hinamori acquainted with her roommates.

**Silver Gingko: **I'm so sorry about the crappy first chapter! It was never meant to be posted! I wrote it when I was sick in bed with the flu, and the person who I shared this account with thought I wanted it posted! Being the sensitive me, I literally cried from shame when I saw it up because it's so bad! I only found out today! She's making me update, but I'm still kind of suffering from sickness...so please exuse my horrible, horrible writing! I might revise the first chapter later. Thanks to **Coke** of **Silver Butterfly506** for writing part of this chapter and editing it for me.


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